Nicolas Sarkozy, who served as France’s president from 2007 to 2012, has officially been stripped of the Legion of Honour — the nation’s most prestigious award — following a graft conviction, according to a decree published on Sunday.
The right-wing leader has faced mounting legal troubles since leaving office, with an appeals court last year upholding his conviction for illegally attempting to secure favours from a judge. Instead of serving a one-year jail term, the court ordered him to wear an electronic ankle bracelet, which was recently removed.
Although President Emmanuel Macron had previously expressed opposition to the revocation, the decision was anticipated in accordance with the rules governing the honour.
Sarkozy becomes only the second former French head of state to lose the Legion of Honour. The first was Philippe Pétain, a World War II-era leader convicted of high treason in 1945 for collaborating with Nazi Germany.
Currently, Sarkozy is appealing his conviction at the European Court of Human Rights. Meanwhile, he is also on trial in a separate case involving alleged illegal campaign financing from late Libyan leader Moamer Kadhafi. A verdict in that case is expected in September, with prosecutors calling for a seven-year prison sentence. Sarkozy has denied all charges.
Despite the controversies, Sarkozy continues to wield influence within the French right and reportedly maintains regular contact with President Macron.
